The present invention relates generally to commercial trash bins and is specifically concerned with a support assembly for the lid rod axle of such trash bins.
Large industrial trash bins of the type used in hotels, apartment complexes, commercial establishments, and the like, typically have one or more hinged lids that can be opened to deposit trash into the bin. The bins are designed to be lifted and emptied by a trash truck. A hydraulically operated lift on the truck engages the trash bin using two forks, lifts it above the truck, and inverts the bin. The lids swing open, and the contents of the bin fall into the truck.
The lids of conventional trash bins are typically hinged to the rear wall of the bin by means of lugs or flanges on the lid which engage over a hinge pin secured across the rear edge of the open top of the bin. When the lids are closed, they are oriented generally horizontally and perpendicular to the side walls of the bin. The lids can be swung open through an angle of approximately 270.degree. to an orientation in which they lie alongside the rear wall of the bin. One problem with hinged lids of conventional trash bins is that the hinge pin or rod may tend to bend with time, potentially causing the lid to jam or become stuck in one position.
Another problem with commercial trash bins is that users often have difficulty managing the relatively heavy lids when depositing trash in the bin. The user can either swing the lid into the fully open position lying along the rear wall of the bin, in which case they have to walk around to the back of the bin in order to close the lid after depositing the trash, or can try to hold the lid open with one hand while depositing trash with the other hand. Both alternatives are cumbersome and inconvenient. Various types of lid props are available to try to avoid these problems, but all are subject to some disadvantages. Some lid props involve metal bars hinged inside the container. These tend to get dirty over time, and may become jammed. It is also known to weld a bar to the back of the trash bin in order to prop the lid open. The disadvantage of this is that the lid can never be completely opened, i.e. so that it rests against the back wall of the container.
In our U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,317, a lid prop is described which is designed to prop the lid of a trash bin in a partially open position. The prop is movable between a first position in which it props the lid in a partially open position, and a second position in which the lid can be swung fully open. The prop comprises a generally planar member having an elongated slot which engages over the hinge rod of a trash bin lid. The member has a lid supporting portion which projects upwardly from the slot to support the lid in a partially open position. The prop can be moved upwardly to clear the upper end of the bin, at which point the prop can be rotated about the hinge rod along with the lid to allow the lid to be swung fully open.